It may be because I've spent most of my life apartment living and never had a place to do it (I'm almost sure I wouldn't bother anyway) but I've never understood the male fascination/obsession with the barbeque. I was in Home Depot the other day with a buddy and as we walked past the barbecues he made some comment on the grill and workings of this particular brand. I know absolutely next to nothing about gas barbecues, I don't want to learn and all my cooking is done in the kitchen, thank you-- so I just sort of glazed over and said, "Oh really? I did not know that." I did notice that the price was $1400 and he really wanted to buy this one but he had just spent $1200 on last years model. I have another friend that spent $65oo on one...
When we were kids the first barbeque we had was the Hibachi...
We probably picked one up for fairly cheap at Safeway along with a bag of Kingsford charcoal briquets...
During the summer months Dad would often fire up the Hibachi and barbeque some steaks for Mom and him and burgers for my sister and I. Maybe it's all in my nostalgic head but I've never had a burger like the ones Dad charred in the backyard. It was all about waiting for the coals to heat up and the combination of the flavours imparted from the lighter fluid, smoke from the briquets and Kraft BBQ sauce that produced a burger that was second to none. Toast the bun and top with a Kraft slice, French's mustard and green pickle relish...fantastic. Some nights he would even split some weiners, throw them on the grill and then top the hamburger patty with them...heaven. I'm not sure if Dad made up the name but he called them "Combo Burgers."
We probably picked one up for fairly cheap at Safeway along with a bag of Kingsford charcoal briquets...
During the summer months Dad would often fire up the Hibachi and barbeque some steaks for Mom and him and burgers for my sister and I. Maybe it's all in my nostalgic head but I've never had a burger like the ones Dad charred in the backyard. It was all about waiting for the coals to heat up and the combination of the flavours imparted from the lighter fluid, smoke from the briquets and Kraft BBQ sauce that produced a burger that was second to none. Toast the bun and top with a Kraft slice, French's mustard and green pickle relish...fantastic. Some nights he would even split some weiners, throw them on the grill and then top the hamburger patty with them...heaven. I'm not sure if Dad made up the name but he called them "Combo Burgers."
From the Hibachi it wasn't long before we moved up to this classic...
The shitty thing was it was my job to dump the ashes in the garbage and scrub the grills and utensils in the concrete laundry sink, next to the wringer washer in our half-finished basement every time we wanted to barbeque...what a chore. I really knew we hit the big time though when we got the Ball-B-Que...
The shitty thing was it was my job to dump the ashes in the garbage and scrub the grills and utensils in the concrete laundry sink, next to the wringer washer in our half-finished basement every time we wanted to barbeque...what a chore. I really knew we hit the big time though when we got the Ball-B-Que...
There the beauty is right behind Sis and I, I think I was the first day of grade 9 for me and 6 for Wendy...
I don't really have much else to add and I'm not even sure how to wrap this up other than to say the gas barbeque at the top of this blog is worth $35,ooo--that could buy an awful lot of briquets, you still have to clean it and the memories...
I don't really have much else to add and I'm not even sure how to wrap this up other than to say the gas barbeque at the top of this blog is worth $35,ooo--that could buy an awful lot of briquets, you still have to clean it and the memories...
9 comments:
$1400 on a BBQ? I could think of so many other things I would rather buy with that sort of money. I'd like a barbeque for the summer, but I'd be happy with something small that would allow me to cook for the neighbours but would be equally portable if I wanted to go away for the weekend.
bah! my grandpa had that ball b and i always admired it's look and style. and the burgers that came out of it!
we have a cheap $20 bbq on the deck, and the bf is very good at bbqing rib eye and tri-tip steaks. to-die-for steaks. i cannot imagine spending the big bucks on a gas grill, particularly when the charcoal flavor is THE SHIT!
Hah! EXACTLY to both!
I remember that grill too--and having the WRINGER washingmachines. Guess that dates us, huh!?
Ha! That's for sure,you read my thoughts, B.
Laundry day for my Mom-- what a chore. Wringer washer and hanging it out on the line. Tended to stay away from her those days...
I think you and I lived in the same house. The wringer washing machine in the half finished basement. We also had a crawl space which terrified the living bejesus out of me. My parents knew they could hid anything in there with no worries of me ever finding it. And the whole bbq experience -- it was all about the wait and those little charcol beauties.
We had a grotto under the front stairs that I still have nightmares about...grotto really wasn't the word I was looking for. Where do you store your canned goods? Not you but what's that room called?
Mom called it the cold cellar -- I call it Costco.
Ha! Costco. That's it...cold cellar.
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